Found A Way
by otownsangel
Summary: When Booth begrudgingly agrees to go out on a blind date at the insistence of his mother, and his date turns out to be a Temperance Brennan fan, he discovers that his feelings for Brennan may not be as platonic as he has been trying to convince himself.
1. Chapter 1: All At Once

_Disclaimer: _I own nothing…

_Summary:_ When Booth begrudgingly agrees to go out on a blind date that his mother has set up at his insistence that Brennan is just a friend, and said blind date turns out to be a Temperance Brennan fan, he discovers that his feelings for Brennan may not be as platonic as he has been trying to convince himself.

_Rating:_ PG. At the moment, anyway.

_Author's Notes: _So, I feel the need to explain why all of my _Bones_ fics include lyrics… When I write, I pick a song that fits the mood of whatever story/chapter I happen to be writing, and I listen to it the entire time I'm writing. It focuses my attention and gives me insight into exactly what I'm writing, as it helps me to _feel_ what it is I'm writing. Music, I think, gives an emotional insight and complexity to something that might have otherwise been simple and straightforward; two things I'm not terribly fond of. In many of my _Buffy_ fics, I never bothered to add lyrics, but I've decided that, if it gives me insight, I may as well include it… So that's why there are lyrics. The song here is "All At Once" by The Fray.

Also, to anyone who's reading "Through The Iris", I swear I'm going to continue it (hopefully soon)… I've been doing "research"… The fun kind, where I get to watch every episode of _Angel_, _Bones_, and the first three seasons of _Buffy_…

And _finally_ here it is. This is going to be a relatively short fic. At the moment I'm thinking maybe three parts… We'll have to see how it goes. It was originally supposed to be a oneshot, but I don't think it quite worked out that way, so there will most likely be more...Hope you like it...

* * *

**All At Once:**

* * *

_There are certain people you just keep coming back to  
She is right in front of you  
You begin to wonder could you find a better one  
Compared to her now she's in question_

* * *

As he stood waiting for the door in front of him to open, Seeley Booth tugged lightly at his tie, wondering how exactly he had managed to let himself get roped into this. One minute, he had been discussing the relationship-that-wasn't with his mother, and the next she had been insisting that, if he and Temperance weren't romantically involved, he should be branching into the world of dating rather than staying cooped up with the brilliant doctor. And so now here he was, standing on the doorstep of the daughter of an old family friend. A girl he knew, but hadn't seen in well over fifteen years. 

His mother could be extremely persuasive when it suited her.

After only a moment, one that passed far too quickly for his liking, the door was pulled open, and there before him stood Jennifer Quinn; a pretty blonde with a baby face that Booth recognized even after so many years. She didn't seem to have changed a bit in all the time that had passed, and when she offered him a charming grin, he fought back a grimace and instead forced a smile of his own.

"Hey, Jen." He offered in greeting, careful to keep his voice pleasant and his smile as genuine as possible. "It's good to see you again."

"Same to you, Seeley." She stepped aside then, ushering him into her apartment, the bright, happy smile she wore never once faltering. He was beginning to wonder if she was more into this date than he had been hoping for. She hadn't gone in for a hug as he had expected, however, and for that he was truly grateful.

She led him through the apartment then, into the living room, and he followed, hands buried in his pockets. He hoped he wasn't being too obvious about his distaste for the situation, but he couldn't quite bring himself to care enough to really worry about it.

When she turned toward him, she was still wearing that annoyingly sweet smile that made him feel guilty enough to let the corners of his mouth turn up just a bit. Not a smile, not really, but she seemed to buy it, and it only made him want to roll his eyes at her. It was something anyone should have picked up on... Temperance would have known instantly.

* * *

_Looking for the right one you line up the world to find  
Where no questions cross your mind  
But she won't keep on waiting for you without a doubt  
Much longer for you to sort it out_

* * *

"I'm just gonna go finish up getting ready." She told him, pointing a thumb over her shoulder to indicate the bedroom beside her. "I'll just be a minute." 

That bubbly, flirtatious tone she was using on him was quickly grating on his nerves and it was all he could do to hold his almost-smile long enough to nod in agreement and watch her turn away. The moment she was facing away from him, he, too, turned, his eyes scanning these new surroundings. The place was neat, nicely decorated. It was homey. And exactly the type of place he would have predicted. Jen never had been a terribly deep individual and she certainly wasn't exactly the most thrilling person he had ever met. In fact, she was far from it. '_Scratch the surface, and what do you get? More surface.'_ The thought flitted through his head before he could stop it. The girl was nothing compared to Temperance; a woman who lived a life that even he would never have been able to keep up with.

And then, suddenly, he was wondering when exactly he had begun to compare everything and everyone in his life to Temperance Brennan. It was funny, before he had met Bones, he had no doubt that he would have jumped at a chance with a girl like Jennifer. But now everything was so different. And, he truly believed, better. She made him question things, analyze people, look for more than just what was on the outside. She had taught him that, though he never had been one to stop at simply the physical, he had never truly searched for depth in anyone. Not the way he had been forced to with Brennan. She hadn't made it easy for him to truly know her, and he thanked God everyday for sending her to him, because she had been the one to show him that it was necessary to really search for what was beneath the surface, something he had since discovered was far more important than he had ever realized.

And the moment he had managed to break through with Brennan, he had known that his life would never be the same… Because she had trusted him enough to let him in. Something she rarely did. Breaking down those walls hadn't been easy, but he had managed, and he knew it had given him a permanent place in her heart. They were friends. An honor he knew first hand she didn't bestow on just anyone.

* * *

_Maybe you want her maybe you need her  
Maybe you started to compare to someone not there  
Maybe you want it maybe you need it,  
Maybe it's all you're running from,  
Perfection will not come_

* * *

He smiled then, genuinely, for the first time since he had left the lab that night. His eyes had fallen to the coffee table, and there before him was a copy of _Bred In The Bone_, written by the very woman who had been consuming all of his thoughts for the majority of the past few months. He made his way around the table then, sitting himself down on the edge of the couch and simply staring at the book for a moment, the dedication of her next book flashing through his mind. 

"Temperance Brennan." His voice was quiet as he lifted the book from the coffee table in front of him, a soft smile touching his lips as he looked over the cover.

"Yeah. She's my new favorite author." He hadn't meant for her to hear, and it took all of his control not to groan in annoyance. "We read it in our book club. She's really an amazing writer. Have you read it?"

He nodded just a bit, his attention back on the book, or rather his thoughts of Temperance, rather than what Jen was saying. Carefully, he turned it over, his eyes falling to the picture on the back.

"Did you like it?" She questioned, busy tying up her hair as she moved to stand behind him, watching him carefully as his eyes moved over the photograph of the young doctor. When he didn't answer, she just smiled. "She's pretty, isn't she?"

"Stunning…" His voice was barely a whisper as he shook his head lightly and took a deep breath, snapping himself from his trace. "Trust me, it doesn't do her justice." He added with a smile.

"You've met her? Book signing?"

He could tell by the change in her tone that she was genuinely curious and very serious. "Not exactly." He gave a soft laugh before looking back at her with a smile. "We work together. She's my partner."

"You know her? Wow… What's she like?" She questioned, moving around the couch to make herself comfortable in the chair across from him, her eyes sparkling with interest.

"She's…" he paused for a moment, turning the question over in his head. "She's Bones."

"I'm sorry?" There was nothing but confusion in her voice as she watched him, her eyes questioning.

He let out a small laugh, finally glancing up from the book he still held. "Nickname."

"She lets people call her that?" Skepticism poured from her tone as she watched him. Surely someone as prominent as Dr. Temperance Brennan would never allow herself to be called by such an odd, and somewhat juvenile, epithet.

"Just me." He smiled then, his eyes on the book once more, before he looked up at her again, his eyes dancing as he reminisced about the pretty woman she knew from nothing more than the back of her book. "She hated it at first. And then at some point she just stopped arguing about it... Well, not _just_ exactly, I think it was actually quite a bit more gradual than that. At first, every time I said it she'd get pissed, and then it was only when she was mad at me… And then, somewhere along the line, she just stopped. I think she almost likes it now."

"She means a lot to you."

It was more a statement than a question, and he let the tiniest smile touch his lips as he carefully placed the book back on the coffee table. "Everything. I'd kill for her…" He paused then, his mind mulling over all the feelings he had been trying his best to keep hidden. It was true. He would kill for her without a second thought. Would have from the very beginning. But suddenly he felt that wasn't enough. Not anymore. There was something deeper between them now. "I'd die for her."

"You're in love with her." Again, it was a statement, not a question.

* * *

_And all at once the crowd begins to sing  
Sometimes  
We'd never know what's wrong without the pain  
Sometimes the hardest thing and the right thing are the same_

* * *

He seemed to be contemplating the question for a moment, unsure of how to answer. Or even if he should. Why he was so willing to open up to this woman, he wasn't sure, but it felt right, and so he opted not to fight it. 

"No." He told her then, the adoration in his eyes suddenly falling away as he sat back. He wasn't allowed to love her. She already had someone. "I can't love her. She's… There's already someone in her life."

"And even though you know it should, it still doesn't stop those feelings, does it?" He was silent as she watched him, and he could tell she wasn't sure what more she could say to him; a man so clearly distraught over a woman he believed he could never have.

He allowed himself to give her a tiny nod before his eyes fell closed and he took a deep, calming breath. For a woman who he had so easily pegged as shallow, she was certainly peeling away his layers with very little issue.

"She's involved with someone." He stated plainly, incapable of keeping the tired acceptance from his voice. As much as he wanted to deny it, Temperance wasn't his and it was probable she never would be. "As much as I hate to admit it, he seems good for her. She really likes him. A lot… What kind of friend would I be if I stood in the way of a relationship she's happy with?"

"The kind who knows that she deserves more." She watched him for a moment as he turned her words over in his head, sitting forward once more to hang his head in his hands. "I know you're not into this date, Seeley. And you're obviously more than a little lovesick over her… You should just tell her. Maybe she feels the same way."

"You and my mother set this whole thing up didn't you?" He questioned, running a hand through his hair as he lifted his eyes to meet hers, the reality of the situation finally dawning on him. This wasn't his mother's way of forcing him into the dating world. It was her way of forcing him to come to terms with everything he was feeling for his partner.

She gave him a look, her eyebrows raised and her head tilted. "Don't change the subject. You need to tell her."

"I _can't_ tell her." He shook his head slowly, watching Jen as she studied him. "I just told you, she already has someone. Someone she cares about."

"And you don't believe she cares about you?"

"She does." He told her quietly. Then, more forcefully, "I _know_ she does. That's not the point."

"That's _exactly_ the point." Jen argued, leaning forward in her chair and folding her hands in her lap as she rested her elbows on her knees. "She cares about you. Probably in the same way you care for her. Really, Seeley, how long have you been mulling over your feelings for her? Because, according to your mother, it's been since the moment you met her. How, if this is how you've been approaching the situation, can you assume that it isn't the same for her?"

* * *

_Maybe you want her maybe you need her  
Maybe you've started to compare to someone not there  
Maybe you want it maybe you need it  
Maybe it's all you're running from  
Perfection will not come_

* * *

"She's happy." 

"Maybe." She told him, before pausing for a moment. "And if you don't tell her how you feel, she'll never know that she could be happier." She smiled at him then, and he couldn't help but smile back as he watched her. "You're a catch, Seeley. Even if you don't believe it, I think _she_ knows it. You're a good man. A good, loyal man who loves with everything that's in him. That's exactly why you came here tonight completely unwilling to even give this thing a shot, and that's why you've been spending the last half hour comparing me to her. You can't open your heart to anything else, because it already belongs to her."

He was considering her words carefully, and he knew she could see that he was quickly becoming uncomfortable with the conversation, but that didn't stop her, and for that he was suddenly grateful. Because as much as he hated to admit it, she was right.

"Go to her, and tell her. Because if you don't, you _are_ going to lose her to him. But I don't think that's happened yet, because somewhere inside, I can tell you still believe you could win her heart. So just do it, Seeley. Don't let yourself lose her for no other reason than your fear."

* * *

_Maybe you want her maybe you need her  
Maybe you had her maybe you lost her to another  
To another_

* * *


	2. Chapter 2: Outside Looking In

_Disclaimer: _I own nothing…

_Summary:_ When Booth begrudgingly agrees to go out on a blind date that his mother has set up at his insistence that Brennan is just a friend, and said blind date turns out to be a Temperance Brennan fan, he discovers that his feelings for Brennan may not be as platonic as he has been trying to convince himself.

_Rating:_ PG. At the moment, anyway… I'm thinking I may have to bump it up a bit for the next chapter…

_Author's Notes: _The lyrics in this one are from Nick Lachey's "Outside Looking In"… Also, I forgot to mention last time that the title actually comes from the Drake Bell Song, "Found A Way". So, yeah, in case you couldn't tell already, I pretty much have the most fickle taste in music of anyone. Ever. I will, and do, listen to anything and everything… As you could see if you ever got the chance to glance through my 500+ CDs. And that's where Drake Bell comes in… The song kind of inspired the story. Or completely, rather… It's what I was listening to when the idea popped into my head…

And to Kristie, I have to say, I read your review, and then pretty much laughed my ass off… I was actually eating a jelly doughnut when I read it… It was priceless… lol…

Thanks to everyone for the reviews, and I hope you like this one! I should have the next one out relatively soon…

* * *

**Outside Looking In:**

* * *

_Paper houses and fallen angels  
Sometimes you can't see in front of you  
Wasted moments trying to be someone  
I never wanted to be for you_

* * *

The knock at her door pulled her out of the trance she had been in and she sighed deeply. For most of the night, she had been considering postponing their date. As much as she enjoyed David's company, she simply wasn't feeling up to a dinner date. In fact, she wanted nothing more than to stay exactly where she was for the rest of the night. Unfortunately, she hadn't cancelled and so she was stuck. 

With another sigh, this one of resignation, she hit the stop button on the remote and moved to the door, pulling it open to reveal exactly whom she had expected. David. With a tiny smile that wasn't entirely sincere, she allowed him to place a kiss on her cheek before she stepped back to let him in.

"I'll just be a minute." She informed him as she shut the door and moved back to her living room, hitting the power switch on the television.

"Not a problem." He gave her a smile as he followed her, his eyes falling to the DVD box set that sat on the end table closest to the television. He gave her a curios look as he lifted it from the table, looking it over with more intent than was entirely necessary. "The X-Files?"

She glanced up at him then, the look she wore never quite making it to full blown embarrassment, but pulling a close second. "Booth mentioned it once, and since he's the one who's been nagging me about the TV, I thought… Well, I don't know what I thought, exactly. I just saw it, and it seemed appropriate, so I bought it."

She really was embarrassed now, the pink that tinted her cheeks giving her away, and she didn't miss the way David's eyes moved from the box set in his hands to the photograph that had sat beside it. One of Booth and herself. It had been taken by Angela, on one of their many outings to Wong Foo's. A new camera had been the culprit, and neither Brennan nor Booth had known it was coming. They had been sitting in the booth, his arm draped around her shoulder as he leaned over to whisper something in her ear. She couldn't remember what he had said, but whatever it had been, they had both come away from it with laughter in their eyes and smiles painting their faces.

She felt guilty then, watching as David studied the picture for a moment. Had she been asked, she knew she would have no explanation as to why she had framed and displayed the photo of the two of them. It captured no significant moment; no preconceived pose. Nothing that set it apart or made it special. But then, the more she thought about it, the more she realized that it was exactly that which made it special. Because that photograph held the very definition of her relationship with Booth. With Booth, nothing _had_ to be planned or perfect; she didn't need some big event or pretty pose to be happy. When she was with him, it wasn't necessary to pretend. He was willing and ready to accept anything and everything about her without question.

"Right. Booth." His tone was even. There was very little emotion behind it, and as he spoke, he never once met her eyes.

She let a little smile cross her lips, not entirely sure why, as he wasn't actually looking at her, but she felt it necessary to offer him some form of reassurance. His words were sounding less and less bitter now when he spoke of Booth and in place of that bitterness, she heard resignation. An air of discomfort settled over her at the realization, and she crossed her arms tightly over her chest as she continued to watch him. For the first time that night, she was wishing they could hurry up and get on with the date they'd had planned.

David's demeanor changed then, and suddenly he was back to himself, clearly trying his best to push away all thoughts of her partner. "So, The X-Files… You like it? 'Cause I would've thought it'd be a little too irrational for you." He questioned with a smile, placing the DVD set back where he had found it as he looked to her for an answer.

She smiled at him then as she gave a little shrug. "As illogical as it may seem, it's really a fascinating series. The character dynamics are wonderful. I'm enjoying it."

"Glad to hear it." He gave her another smile as he reached out an arm for her expectantly. "You ready to go?"

She nodded, a half smile touching her lips as she grabbed her purse from the couch and allowed him to lead her out of her apartment.

* * *

_Reaching out into unknown spaces  
With nothing left here to blur the view  
Now I know I've got to find  
This picture frozen in my mind  
And find the life I never knew_

* * *

She had been surprised when David had led her to Wong Foo's for dinner… And she couldn't quite keep herself from being a little irritated with him for bringing her to a place that she was beginning to think of as hers and Booth's. She didn't like the fact that David seemed to be making every attempt to erase everything special in her life that was reserved for her partner. This was _their_ place, and in her mind, she wanted it to have nothing to do with the man who was currently sitting across from her. Somewhere, deep down, she knew how wrong the thought was, but she couldn't quite seem to shake it. 

How he even knew of the place, she wasn't sure. She was fairly certain she had never mentioned it, but she got the distinct feeling that he knew exactly what it was to her. Maybe she was simply being paranoid, but his jealousy toward her partner was beginning to annoy her more and more… And what scared her most was the fact that, in the back of her mind, she knew that he had every right to be jealous. Here she was, irritated with her boyfriend for bringing her to a nice restaurant, one that she rather enjoyed, no less, and all she could think of was Seeley Booth. Of course David was going to be jealous. How could he not?

When the waitress set their food before them, Brennan gave her a little smile of thanks, before glancing to the counter where Sid stood, watching her. She couldn't quite read his expression, but if she had been forced to guess, she probably would have assumed it was disappointment she was seeing; and that was something that confused her. Did he know something she didn't? Maybe Booth had said something…?

Shaking it off and chalking it up to an overactive imagination on her part, she turned back to David with a forced smile. They had hardly said two words to one another the entire time they had been there, and yet, the uncomfortable silence that had settled between them was still more comforting than actually having to hold a conversation with the man. She cared about David, she really did, but lately it seemed as though he wanted to discuss nothing but her relationship with Booth.

It had begun after he had read her manuscript. The dedication. She was sure that that had been exactly what had done it. He had assumed that her recognition of her partner, the man without whom she never would have even been able to write her books in the first place, meant more than it truly did… She owed much of the experience and expertise required to make her novels believable to her partner, and it only made sense to give him a little credit for it… But then, even she was beginning to realize that it wasn't the 'partner' part of the dedication that mattered. It was the 'friend' portion…

Friend. A word she reserved for a very select few, among whom David did not even exist…

She knew she should feel guilty for that, but she was incapable of controlling her feelings in this case, and the fact was, she simply didn't know him well enough to let him into her heart. Not the way she had Booth, anyway. Or even Angela, for that matter.In reality, David remained a stranger to her. They went out sometimes, sure, but she had yet to put any true emotional investment into the relationship. She wanted desperately to believe that her lack of commitment was simply due to her own emotional restrictions, rather than the fact that she found herself wishing more and more often that it was Booth she was with when, in truth, it was David. With Booth, emotional investment had come easy for her. With David, it seemed that their relationship had been suspended in time. It was going nowhere…

_But I feel my world coming back to life  
My eyes are finally open again  
Now I see it all in a different light  
I'm standing on the outside  
I'm finally on the outside looking in_

David was talking to her now, and yet, she heard nothing. Her eyes had been drawn to the door through which Seeley Booth, the very man who had managed to capture her every thought, was making his way into the restaurant. She averted her eyes the moment she realized she was staring and tried her best to focus on David, who was talking about… something. She had yet to figure out what. And then she heard Booth's name and she fought to keep her eyes from rolling. He was on that again. Sure, she had just spent the better part of their date ignoring David and mentally exploring her feelings for Booth, but that didn't stop her from being annoyed. Maybe if the man wasn't so stuck on the subject of her partner, her thoughts would stop drifting to him every few seconds… And then she realized that he had simply been asking about their caseload, and she instantly felt guilty for her irritation.

She gave him a light smile as he raised an eyebrow in question, a significant amount of time having elapsed since his inquiry. "We haven't really been working on anything big. It's been kind of quiet lately."

She gave him a shrug as she reached out to play with her napkin, giving her a sufficient excuse to avoid his eyes. She had yet to tell him about her parent's disappearance or her mother's murder, and she certainly didn't think that this qualified as a good time. But then, if she was going to be honest with herself, she knew that there would be no appropriate time to bring David into the loop on her family history and the current investigation they were working on in relation. She had her team to offer support and comfort. She had Booth. She wasn't in need of pity, and she knew that that was exactly what David would have to offer her. And so she kept quiet.

When she offered no more in explanation, David dropped the issue, though she saw the way his eyes fell and his shoulders slumped just a bit. He was giving up. She could see it in his posture and in the way he looked at her; as though begging her to give him something, anything, that would lead him to believe that they were worth fighting for.

But she couldn't give him that. Because she knew they weren't.

Instead, she looked away from him, her eyes falling on her partner once more. If there was anyone in her life that she could turn to, it was him. Not David. It could never be David, and as she sat there, watching Booth, she realized exactly that. Her relationship with David needed to end. In reality, it had never even really been a relationship. From the very beginning, in her heart, she had always known that it was Booth.

And it was at that moment that she decided it was time to start giving her heart a little more credit…

_I'm tearing out the page  
Breathing for a change  
And it's so good  
To feel myself coming back to life  
I'm finally on the outside  
I'm finally on the outside_

"Go to him, Temperance…"

His words took her by surprise and she turned back to him, confusion evident in her eyes. "What?"

"You've been sitting here, watching him from the moment he walked in." He paused for a moment, sighing deeply in defeat as he sat back in his chair, his eyes never leaving hers. "I think we both know who you'd rather be with."

"David—"

He gave a light smile in reassurance. "It's okay, Temperance. I understand… In fact, I think I knew the moment I met the two of you, but when you told me there was nothing going on, I accepted it because I wanted to believe it… As much as I care about you, I know you don't feel the same; or if you do, your feelings for him are still stronger. So I'm going to end this now, you and me, because we both know where you'd rather be, and I don't want to hold you back anymore. You deserve to be happy, Temperance, and I'm not the one who can give that to you. He is."

When she didn't try to argue with him, and instead let her eyes fall away from his to focus on the table in front of her, she felt, rather than saw, the look of complete acceptance, mingled with a touch of sadness, that washed over him. For a moment, the guilt that was building up in her chest almost made her stop him, but instead, she simply whispered a soft, "I'm sorry," as he stood, finding her hand and giving it a quick squeeze of reassurance.

"It's alright, Temperance… Now, go get him." His words were quiet; he was being careful to make sure that Booth didn't hear. She glanced up at him as he backed away, a smile full of thanks, as well as apology, gracing her lips. "You take care of yourself."

And with a final smile, he was gone, leaving her to work out her feelings for the man who sat just a few feet away, drowning his sorrows in the alcohol that sat before him and completely ignoring her…

He was upset that she had shown up here with David. She knew he was. She had noticed the moment he had walked in, and she knew he had seen her as well, but he had said nothing, taking his regular seat at the counter instead. She wanted to be upset by his lack of acknowledgement, but she knew it was simply because she had been there with David. When he had first noticed her there, with David, she had seen the flash of hurt in his eyes, and she couldn't blame him. After all, she too considered this to be _their_ place, and she wasn't surprised by the realization that he felt the same…

And so, with a deep breath, she pulled herself from her seat and made her way over to her partner; the man she was beginning to realize she was fast falling in love with…

* * *

_And I feel my world coming back to life  
My eyes are finally open again  
Now I see it all in a different light  
I'm standing on the outside  
I'm finally on the outside looking in_

* * *


	3. Chapter 3: Feels Like Today

_Disclaimer: _I own nothing…

_Summary:_ When Booth begrudgingly agrees to go out on a blind date that his mother has set up at his insistence that Brennan is just a friend, and said blind date turns out to be a Temperance Brennan fan, he discovers that his feelings for Brennan may not be as platonic as he has been trying to convince himself.

_Rating:_ PG-13

Author's Notes: Well, this is it, guys. I bumped the rating up to a T. Probably not even necessary, but I did it anyway, to cover my ass. For a minute there it was looking like it was gonna become an M… But then it didn't… Really, you'd be surprised at how little control I actually have over what ends up on paper in these…

Hopefully this one turned out okay… It's three in the morning, and I'm on acaffeine high, so I'm hoping I didn't screw anything up with the revisions. Did you know they give you your own pitcher at Friendly's? With refills? _And_ their coffee is _really_ good? 'Cause, seriously, I had like seven cups…

Anyway, hope you like it, and you guys can thank Jaed for this one… I just couldn't let you go on any longer with that heartbreaking picture in your head. ;-)

Oh, and the song here is Rascal Flatts, "Feels Like Today"… Did I mention the fickleness with my taste in music? 'Cause I totally wasn't kidding…

* * *

**Feels Like Today:**

* * *

_I woke up this morning  
With this feeling inside me, that I can't explain  
Like a weight that I've carried, been carried away, away  
But I know something is coming  
I don't know what it is  
But I know it's amazing, can save me my time is coming  
I'll find my way out  
Of this longest drought_

* * *

Her hand fell to his shoulder as she moved to stand beside him. After a moment, when he gave no reaction, she situated herself in the seat beside him, leaning over the counter in an attempt to catch his eyes as he continued to ignore her. "Hey," she greeted softly, letting her hand trail down his arm, a tiny smile touching her lips. 

"What happened? David go to the bathroom and you figured you'd sneak over? Stop pretending I don't exist?" He never once looked up at her, instead downing the glass that sat in front of him, his voice dripping with biting sarcasm.

"You're upset…" She stated quietly, her eyes dropping to the counter for a moment before she lifted them to study him once more.

"Yeah. I'm upset." His voice was full of contempt as he finally tilted his head toward her, just a bit, to meet her eyes. "You know, I had this big revelation today. I went out on this date that my mother forced me into, and we never even made it out of the house because she had this book and she left it out on the coffee table because, well, to put it simply, she was in cahoots with my mother and they set me up." He informed her, pointing a finger her way, his eyebrows rising in accentuation of his point. "And so we get to talking about the author of this book, right? And all of a sudden I realize that I'm completely in love with her, and so I call her up and leave her a message to meet me _here_… And then I walk in, and there she is, sitting with her _boyfriend_ in _our_ place!"

He hadn't noticed how her breath had caught when he had confessed his love, and it appeared that he was still oblivious as he turned his eyes back to the empty glass before him. She wasn't even sure he realized he had said it at all… And she got the distinct impression that he was drunk.

With a sigh, she reached out, pulling his hand into hers as he continued to avoid her gaze. "I'm sorry, Booth. David brought me… I didn't want him here any more than you did. I wasn't trying to hurt you when I came here, Booth. But what was I supposed to do? I had no idea he was bringing me here…"

He turned to her then, meeting her eyes. The sadness she saw there broke her heart and she could do nothing more than reach out to him, letting her fingers smooth over his cheek. It was only the faintest of touches, but it was enough to soften the sorrow in his eyes. He let his lips turn up in the tiniest of smiles as he reached up to take her hand in his, brushing a soft kiss over her fingertips. His eyes met hers then, and he watched as a light smile touched her lips as well, his heart swelling at the realization that she had allowed this gentle show of affection.

"You really didn't want him here?" His voice was hopeful and she couldn't help but smile a bit wider.

"I swear to you, I never want to be here with anyone but you… And right now, I think maybe I should get you home." She told him softly, pulling herself up to stand beside him; letting her hand fall away from his to rest on his back.

"What about David?" He spoke the other man's name as though it had some bitter taste to it and she gave an amused smile at that.

"David's gone… And you're drunk." She stated matter-of-factly as she rubbed his back gently, urging him to stand with her. "Looks like I get to drive tonight."

He grumbled at that, but stood and obediently handed over the keys.

* * *

_You treat life like a picture  
But it's not a moment that's frozen in time  
It's not gonna wait till you make up your mind, at all  
So while this storm is breaking  
While there's light at the end of the tunnel  
You keep running towards it  
Releasing the pressure that's your heartache  
Soon this dam will break_

* * *

"This is your place." He stated as he finally lifted his head to look at their surroundings, confusion evident in his tone. 

"I'm perfectly aware of that." She told him as she shut off the engine, glancing over at him and letting out a little laugh at the confusion on his face. He had fallen asleep on the way home and she hadn't had the heart to wake him immediately; instead opting to sit and watch him for a moment. The problem had resolved itself, however, when he had opened his eyes only moments after she had parked the car in front of her building.

"Why?" He questioned groggily, squeezing his eyes shut tightly in an attempt to wake himself.

"Because it makes more sense this way." She pointed out, a smile still playing on her lips as she watched him. "This way, both of our vehicles are here. I won't have to take your car for the night, and nobody has to do any picking up or dropping off."

"Who says you'd have to take my car for the night? Gotta say, I don't think I'd have any objections to you staying the night…"

She wasn't entirely sure he knew what he was saying, but she couldn't quite help the smirk that settled on her lips in reaction to his comment. "Well that's good, because I have no intentions of letting you leave tonight." She almost laughed out loud at the shocked confusion in his eyes before she continued, "You've been drinking. I'm not letting you drive home like this."

* * *

_And it feels like today, I know  
It feels like today, I'm sure  
It's the one thing that's missing  
The one thing I'm wishing  
The last sacred blessing  
And hey, feels like today  
Feels like today_

* * *

The moment she had managed to get him up to her apartment and through the door, he had collapsed onto her couch, pulling her down beside him despite her objections. It only took a moment before he'd had himself wrapped around her, nearly pulling her into his lap as he snuggled against her, his eyes drifting shut and his head falling to her shoulder. For a moment, she had believed him to be sleeping and when he spoke a little smile touched her lips as she rested her cheek against the top of his head, making herself just as comfortable as he appeared to be. 

"I'm sorry if I ruined you date." He mumbled sleepily, burying his face against her neck then, the warmth of his breath making her shiver.

She smiled as she angled her body toward him just a bit, letting a hand wander to his hair as she smoothed it down, away from his forehead. "You didn't ruin anything. It wasn't exactly a date, anyway…" She paused for a moment to glance down at him and almost laughed at the pout he wore as he watched her. Instead, however, she let an amused smile cross her lips as she shook her head. "David and I called it quits tonight."

"That idiot." He nuzzled her neck gently, inhaling her scent deeply, before letting a smile of contentment cross his lips. "Didn't know what he had."

"Actually, he did." She told him, laughing lightly at the confusion on his face, before giving him a soft smile. "We got to talking… About you. David decided that, as much as he loved being with me, it wasn't right. Because you were the one I wanted… He said that he understood, and he didn't want to stand in the way of my happiness."

"David's a smart man." Booth offered then, his lips brushing softly over her neck as he spoke.

She sighed then, her eyes drifting shut as her fingers continued to play in his hair, the soft touch of his lips turning to gentle kisses. With a deep breath, she swallowed hard; trying her best to draw her mind from the affection he was showing her. "And yet thirty seconds ago he was an idiot?"

She was breathless, and he smiled at the affect he was having on her. "Thirty seconds ago, I thought he left 'cause he was an idiot. Come to find out, I was wrong."

His fingers were stroking over her thigh now, his caresses heightening both her fear and her arousal equally. She wasn't sure they were ready for this yet, but she couldn't quite bring herself to stop him. Her body was reacting to him in ways she never before would have even thought possible. The things this man could do to her with such a simple touch left her astounded, and she wasn't terrible sure she wanted that feeling to end so quickly.

"We can't do this, Booth." Her words were breathless as her eyes drifted shut against his touch, a sigh falling from her lips. The tone of her voice was most definitely not convincing and she silently cursed herself for being so weak against his charms.

"Why not?" His hand had crept up now, his fingers slipping below the material of her shirt to play over her bare abdomen, his kisses at her neck becoming more and more insistent.

"Because…" She fought to keep her mind working, her heart begging her to let herself go. The completely logical argument she'd had prepared about how it was too soon and they should take things slow flew out the window then and she found herself fighting for the words she needed to describe her feelings to him. Something that was most certainly new to her. She had never before had to struggle for words. Ever.

"Because you're drunk…" She finally forced out as the realization hit her that this was, in fact, her problem with their current situation. Had his mind currently been functioning on a more normal level, she knew she would have no objections… But it wasn't, and she couldn't let things go too far if it meant she would be risking rejection in the morning. "It shouldn't happen that way. Not the first time."

She felt him smile against her, right before his hand moved from beneath her shirt to rest at her cheek as he urged her to face him. "I'm not drunk." He whispered to her, his eyes falling to her lips for a moment, his own so close she could nearly taste him. Not wasting a moment, he dipped his head, catching her lips with his own, kissing her softly and sweetly, only to pull away a moment later, letting his forehead rest against hers as he smiled lightly, his eyes falling shut and a smile touching his lips.

"You really aren't drunk." She stated after taking a moment to catch her breath and gather her thoughts, her voice barely a whisper, but full of disbelief at the realization that she tasted no hint of alcohol on his breath. She pulled back just a bit then, her eyes full of curiosity. "What the hell were you drinking, then?"

"Wouldn't you like to know," was his only reply before he captured her lips once more, kissing her deeply. In that one kiss, she felt every ounce of the passion he had been holding back from her for so long, and she could do nothing more than allow herself to fall against him, surrendering herself to this man she was beginning to realize she could never live without. Her fingers wandered to his hair, and she couldn't help but sigh against his lips, giving herself over to him completely as she held on for dear life; her entire body trembling with the intensity of his passion.

When he finally pulled back, a light smirk touching his lips, he raised his eyebrows expectantly, his hand caressing her cheek and his lips hovering just a breath away from hers. "Still think we should stop?"

She shook her head almost violently at the suggestion before leaning in to pull him back to her, desperate to feel him against her once more. Before she could, however, he pulled back, silencing her objections before she had a chance to voice them with a finger against her lips as he gave her a little smile of tender reassurance. "Before we do this, I need to know—"

"I love you, too." She cut him off then, a smile playing in her eyes, before she leaned forward again to kiss him gently, her lips lingering on his as she continued, the corners of her mouth turning up to mirror the happiness in her eyes. "I'm starting to think I always have…"

* * *

_It's the one thing that's missing  
The one thing you're wishing  
The last sacred blessing and hey  
_

_Feels like today (Feels like, feels like your life changing)  
Feels like today (Feels like, feels like your life changing)_

* * *


	4. Chapter 4: On The Ride

_Disclaimer: _I own nothing…

_Summary:_ When Booth begrudgingly agrees to go out on a blind date that his mother has set up at his insistence that Brennan is just a friend, and said blind date turns out to be a Temperance Brennan fan, he discovers that his feelings for Brennan may not be as platonic as he has been trying to convince himself.

_Rating:_ PG-13

_Author's Notes:_ So, I was gonna wait a while longer to post this one… And then I realized I'm a total jerk! I apparently forgot to thank everybody for the reviews last chapter… Well, not exactly forgot. I seriously thought I had put it in there. Must have been the caffeine. My mind was everywhere at once last night…

So now I just want to say thank you, thank you, thank you sooo much to everybody who reviewed and I apologize for neglecting to do so last time…

And now that that's said, this chapter is for msboreanaz and Scazydramaqueen, who felt it would be a good idea to pair up Jen and David. I, too, liked the idea… Also to Scazydramaqueen, you'll just have to use your imagination on what Booth was drinking… :-) Seriously. I have no idea. I don't drink, and I know very little of alcohol. I'm pretty much the worst college student ever. I don't drink, I don't party, I watch the Disney Channel on a regular basis… It's sad, really. The highlight of my college career has been my 'Buffy' nights with my "roommate across the hall"… But I wouldn't have it any other way. I have the best friends in the whole world and trust me, we get crazy… Sometimes I wish we drank. At least that way we'd have an excuse… (Sorry for that little rant. I'm really missing my girls right now. And Tim. Can't wait till the 27th! We've got a townhouse! _And_ 'Bones' comes back that week! Yay!)

And _finally_, now that I'm done ranting, here's the chapter. It's set something like a year down the road… And the song is "On The Ride" by Aly & AJ… I'm not even gonna lie, I love them. See? Again, I'm really a poor excuse for a college student…

And, one last time, THANK YOU!

* * *

**On The Ride:**

* * *

_Life has moments hard to describe  
Feeling great and feeling alive  
Never coming down from this  
Mountain we're on_

* * *

"Temperance… Wow. Look at you." 

She rolled her eyes as she went in for a hug, a little smile playing over her lips. It had been a while since she had seen David and she had certainly missed talking to him. The two of them had stayed friends after their split, and even Booth had befriended him. After all, they did sort of owe their whole relationship to the man.

"What are you doing here, David?" She questioned as she pulled back, a light smile touching her lips. "You know you don't have to bother coming to these things. You could've just stopped by the house."

"Yeah, but what's the fun in that? If I did that, I wouldn't be able to say I'd attended a Temperance Brennan book signing, now would I?" He paused for a moment then, glancing around them at the nearly empty bookstore. "Even if it is technically over."

She smiled, letting out a little laugh as she shook her head at him. It really had been far too long since they'd seen one another. "Any other reason you stopped by?" She questioned with playful suspicion, eying him curiously.

"There is actually. Haven't seen you since before you started showing." He gestured to her extended belly with a large grin on his face. "How far along are you now, anyway?"

With another smile and laugh, she shook her head in amusement, her eyes dancing with happiness. "About seven and a half months." She informed him, moving a hand to her belly, the smile never leaving her face. "I'll tell you one thing, though, I am most definitely never doing this again. Pregnancy? Yeah, nowhere near as much fun as everyone makes it out to be. My entire body hurts _all_ the time and I'm as big as a house… And I've still got over a month to go!"

David laughed and gave her a big smile as he shook his head in disagreement. "Trust me, once you hold that little baby in your arms for the first time, you'll change your mind."

"Everybody keeps telling me that." Though the smile had left her face, it never quite fell from her eyes as she raised her eyebrows and shook her head in disagreement, folding her arms over her chest. "But see, I am _not_ going to change my mind. I don't do that."

_We don't have to try  
To think the same thoughts  
We just have a way  
Of knowing everything's gonna be ok_

"Oh really?" She felt Booth's arms snake around her from behind and she immediately let her head fall back onto his shoulder as he brushed a kiss over her cheek and she let out a tiny laugh, knowing instinctively what was coming next. "'Cause ya know, if you don't do that, then I'm curious as to how we got here in the first place, seeing as how at one point you were so adamant about never having children at all?"

"Yeah, well, this is all _your_ fault." She informed him, her tone all seriousness, though her eyes held amusement. "I wouldn't be in this mess if you weren't so damn irresistible. You seriously need to get ugly or something. I really don't need to be chasing a pack of kids around for the rest of my life."

Booth let out a chuckle and gave David a smile. "Mood swings. Half the time she hates me, the other half she's completely in awe of the fact that she's going to be a mom. And a damn good one at that."

"I still think one's enough. As much as I love this little girl, I don't know if I could do this again…" Her eyes grew wide then, as she realized the secret she had just let slip. "I mean… um…"

"You peeked!" Booth exclaimed as he pulled back a bit to look at her. Though his voice was accusatory, his eyes held laughter and he couldn't quite help the wide smile that spread over his features. "You were the one who said you wanted to be surprised! You told me that woman had been having babies for centuries without the predetermination of the child's sex and therefore, there was no reason you needed to know!"

"I couldn't help it." She defended, a pout settling on her lips as she turned her head to watch him.

"How did you even find out?" He questioned curiously, his eyes never leaving her.

"You know our last appointment? When I went to the bathroom?" He nodded and she gave him a guilty smile. "Well, I didn't actually go to the bathroom… I kind of went back to see the nurse instead…"

"You little sneak!"

"I couldn't help it! I wanted to know!" She whined, that cute little pout settling itself over her lips once more.

The smile that spread across Booth's face had her returning it with one of her own as he leaned in to kiss her lips gently. "We're having a baby girl?" At her nod, he kissed her again, his eyes filled with happiness. "We're having a baby girl."

"It's a girl!" Jen's voice broke them from their moment and Temperance immediately broke away from Booth to wrap the other woman in a hug. She, too, had become a close friend and Temperance was thrilled to have her there. Without Jen and David, it was likely that she and Booth would never even have made it to where they were today, and therefore, she was more than a little grateful for the both of them. "Tempe, that's amazing! Congratulations!"

_No time to be lazy  
The journey is perfect  
The pace is so crazy  
The race is so worth it  
I will be with you  
We'll do this together  
Always together_

Temperance smiled again as she pulled away. When she heard David offering his congratulations to her fiancé, Booth noticed the mischief that was suddenly dancing in her eyes just before she pulled Jen toward the two of them. "Jen, I'd like you to meet David Simmons." She paused for a moment, gesturing to David, and then turned her eyes to Jen. "And David, this is Jen Quinn, an old friend of Seeley's."

David gave a little smile, extending a hand to the pretty woman who stood beside Temperance. "It's nice to meet you, Jen."

"You, too." Jen smiled softly, quickly dropping her eyes from David's as her shyness took over, leaving her timid and unsure.

For a moment, Tempe's eyes met Seeley's and he gave her a smile, crossing his arms and watching them closely. When neither David nor Jen moved to speak again, but continued to watch one another, Tempe cut in, "Jen, weren't you looking for someone to accompany you to that office banquet you have next week?"

Booth shook his head, just barely managing to hold back his laughter at Temperance's forwardness. She offered him a little smile of her own as she glanced his way for just a moment. She knew she was being obvious, but she really didn't particularly care.

"Are you trying to set me up, Temperance?" David questioned, his eyes never leaving Jen, amusement touching his tone.

"Of course not!" Tempe exclaimed with mock offence, the seriousness in her voice just enough to be believable, though she was sure no one there was actually buying it.

"Because I really wouldn't complain if you were…" A faint blush tinted Jen's cheeks as she looked up to meet his eyes, a pretty smile touching her lips. "Would you maybe like to get some coffee or something?"

Jen gave him a little nod then, the smile never leaving her face. "I'd like that."

_Always knowing we're gonna be fine  
Feeling great and feeling alive  
Never coming down from this  
Mountain were on  
The view so clear and it's crazy up here  
Life is amazing with you on the ride_

With a few quick goodbyes to Temperance and Seeley, they were off and Temperance turned to her fiancé, a huge smile playing on her face as she looped her arms around his neck. "I'm brilliant." She told him matter-of-factly, planting a quick kiss on his lips.

"Since when are you good at things like this?" He questioned, wrapping his arms around her waist as he smiled down at her.

"I guess your mother's not the only matchmaker in the family… It just comes naturally."

"Naturally my ass. You've been hanging around Angela too much." He disagreed, kissing the tip of her nose as she giggled, resting her head against his chest.

"I love you, Seeley."

"Love you, too, gorgeous." He murmured, pressing his lips into her hair and rocking her gently, smiles touching both their faces as they held one another close.

Life was most definitely promising to be an amazing ride.

* * *

_The pace so is crazy  
The race is so worth it  
Life is amazing with you on the ride_

* * *

_A/N:_ And that's the end. Seriously this time. And just because I feelthe need to telleverybody, the baby thing? It totally comes from one of my best friends… She's having a baby boy! It's so exciting! 


End file.
